Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Programs, Season 68, 1948-1949
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-4£2ttttj£fe, SYMPHONY HALL, BOSTON SIXTY-EIGHTH SEASON, 1948-1949*! CONCERT BULLETIN of the Boston Symphony Orchestra SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Music Director Richard Burgin, Associate Conductor with historical and descriptive notes by John N. Burk COPYRIGHT, 1948, BY BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ItlC. The TRUSTEES of the BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Inc. Henry B. Cabot . President Jacob J. Kaplan . Vice-President Richard C. Paine . Treasurer Philip R. Allen M. A. De Wolfe Howe John Nicholas Brown Roger I. Lee Alvan T. Fuller Lewis Perry Jerome D. Greene Henry B. Sawyer N. Penrose Hallowell Raymond S. Wilkins Francis W. Hatch Oliver Wolcott George E. Judd, Manager [529] Only 3& you can @ decide © © © © © Whether your property is large or small, it rep- © resents the security for your family's future. Its ulti- © mate disposition is a matter of vital concern to those you love. © © To assist you in considering that future, the Shaw- © mut Bank has a booklet: ''Should I Make a Will?" © It outlines facts that everyone with property should © © know, and explains the many services provided by this Bank as Executor and Trustee. Call at any of our 2 J convenient offices, write or telephone © for our booklet: "Should I Make a WHIP" © © © Zj&KAonal c/KMdt z/jefotwitment © © Optional © The © © Shawmut Bank © 40 IVater Street^ Boston © Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation © © Capital and Surplus $30,000,000 © "Outstanding Strength 'for 112 Years © © [530] PB BB SYMPHONIANA The American Festival of 1939 One Always Returns THE AMERICAN FESTIVAL OF 1939 The review of American music at the symphony concerts of this week and next brings to mind two special concerts in October, 1939. Serge Koussevitzky, hav- ing led the orchestra for fifteen years and in that time introduced a consider- able amount of American music, ar- ranged two programs in Symphony Hall, "In honor of the American Composer." They were as follows: October 4, 1939: Foote, Suite in E major for Strings Taylor, Suite, "Through the Looking Glass" (Two movements) Hadley, "Angelus" from Symphony No. 3 Carpenter, "Skyscrapers" Hanson, Symphony No. 2, "Romantic" October 6, 1939: Schuman, American Festival Overture (First performance) Gershwin, Piano Concerto (Soloist: Abram Chasins) Harris, Symphony No. 3 appreciate Thompson, Symphony No. 2 fine It will be seen that of the nine com- posers on the above programs, three things • . • are also represented on the two pro- grams of 1949, and two of these (Harris and Schuman) by the same works. ONE ALWAYS RETURNS By Arnold Schoenberg {Reprinted from the New York Times Dec. 19, 1948) I remember with great pleasure a ride in a Viennese fiacre through the renowned Hoellenthal. The fiacre went Boston very slowly and we could discuss and Providence admire all the beauty and, even more, Wellesley the frightening aspects which gave the [53i] name to this valley of the hell. I always regret that one might never possess such calm nerves to endure such a slow ride. Cnandlanaier s At least, when only twenty years later I made a trip by auto through Tremont and West Streets one of the most renowned valleys in Switzerland, I saw almost nothing and my companion on this occasion rather mentioned some of the commercial and industrial aspects this valley offered. In twenty years people had lost the in- terest to take an eyeful of these beau- ties and enjoy them. Of these two cases I had to think, when recently a German — a former pupil and assistant of mine — asked me what he should answer, when people demanded from him an explanation, whether I had abandoned twelve-tone composing, as I at present compose so often tonal music; the Band Variations, Op. 43b, the Second Kammersymphonie, the Suite for String Orchestra and sev- eral others. My answer was tuned to the pitch of the two true stories aforementioned, founded upon some historic facts. I said: One should be surprised to find that the classic composers — Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms and even Wagner —« after Bach's contrapuntal climax, in Our spite of their in-essence homophonic style, interpolate so often strict coun- Resort Shop terpoint, differing from Bach's counter- point only by such features as the prog- Fourth Floor ress in music had brought about; that is, a more elaborated development We'd like to help you pack through variations of the motive. cannot deny that the combina- your luggage . whether One tion of these two structural methods is you're going to your win- surprising; because they are contra- ter home in Florida, Bar- dictory. In contrapuntal style the theme bados or Bermuda .• . is practically unchangeable and all the whether you're taking a necessary contrasts are produced by the Caribbean cruise or flying addition of one or more voices. Homo- phony produces all its contrasts by de- to Jamaica! Our Shop's veloping variation. But these great mas- ready with everything ters possessed such an eminent sense from Swim suit to spectator of the ethical and esthetical require- fashions! ments of their art that the problem whether this is wrong can simply be disregarded. [532] I had not foreseen that my explana- tion of this stylistic deviation might also explain my own deviations. I used to say: The classic masters, educated in admiration of the works of great mas- ters of counterpoint, from Palestrina to Bach, must have been tempted to return often to the art of their predecessors, which they considered superior to their own. Such is the modesty of people who could venture to act haughtily; they ap- preciate achievements of others, though they themselves are not void of pride. Only a man who himself deserves re- spect is capable of paying respect to another man. Only one who knows merits can recognize the merits of other men. Such feelings might have devel- oped in a longing once again to try to achieve, in the older style, what they were sure they could achieve in their own more advanced style. It is a feeling similar to that which would give preference over the fast automobile, to the slow, leisurely fiacre; which desires occasionally to dwell in the old, rather primitive living circum- stances of Our predecessors. It is not that we wanted to nullify all progress, though machinery has eliminated so many crafts: bookbinding, cabinet mak- ing, calligraphy, wood-carving and — al- most — painting. When I had finished my first Kam- mersymphonie Op. 9, I told my friends: "Now I have established my style. I know now how I have to compose." But my next work showed a great deviation from this style; it was a first step toward my present style. My destiny had forced me in this direction — I was not destined to continue in the manner of "Transfigured Night" or "Gurrelieder" or even "Pelleas and Melisande." The Supreme Commander had ordered me on a harder road. But a longing to return to the older style was always vigorous in me; and from time to time I had to yield to that urge. This is how and why I sometimes write tonal music. To me stylistic dif- AT YOUR DEALER'S—A FULL ferences of this nature are not of a SELECTION OF FINE FIDELITONE NEEDLES special importance. I do not know which Fidelifone Supreme $2.50 of my compositions Fidelitone Master are better; I like 1 .50 Nylon Fidelitone them all, because I liked them I 1 ,25 when ' Fidelitone Deluxe 1.00 wrote them. Fidelitone Floating Point 50c I CltfwlU/ Incorporated CHICAGO 26 [533] 3 You ll leave this door with peace of mind At last you've made the time to see trustee. You and your lawyer are in- your lawyer ... to have him draw vited to consult with its officers and your will ... or bring your old will up share in their experience. As a pre- to date. After talking with him, you're liminary, a copy of our booklet, confident you've set your house in ''Wills and Trusts," will be sent to order. you on request. * Your will expresses just what you want done with your property and your business. * Your will takes full advantage of WORTHY OF YOUR TRUST the possibilities of minimizing taxes. Old Colony * Your will appoints an executor Trust Company and trustee in which you have ONE FEDERAL STREET, BOSTON confidence, freeing your wife and T. Jefferson Coolidge children from the responsibilities Chairman, Trust Committee of managing investments and looking after business affairs. Robert Cutler, President • For over half a century Old Colony Trust Company has specialized in Allied with serving as executor and as family The First National Bank of Boston [534] SIXTY-EIGHTH SEASON • NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT AND FORTY-NINE Eleventh Program FRIDAY AFTERNOON, December 31, a* 2:30 o'clock SATURDAY EVENING, January 1, at 8:30 o'clock First of Two Programs — American Music Festival Cowell Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. 2 Schuman American Festival Overture Hanson Concerto in G major for Pianoforte and Orchestra, Op. 36 I. Lento molto e molto tranquillo; allegro deciso II. Allegro feroce, molto ritmico III. Andante molto espressivo IV. Allegro giocoso {First performance. Conducted by the Composer) INTERMISSION Foss Recordare (First Performance. Conducted by the Composer) Piston Symphony No. 3 I. Andantino II. Allegro III. Adagio IV. Allegro SOLOIST RUDOLF FIRKUSNY Mr. Firkusny uses the Steinway Piano BALDWIN PIANO VICTOR RECORDS This program will end about 4:25 o'clock on Friday Afternoon, 10:25 on Saturday Evening. [535] PatPAT IREMO OF .ALIFORNIA does wonderful, washable cottons . in stripes, prints . with sun-backs under cute jackets, with parasol skirts. Fourth floor. R. H. STEARNS CO. [536} HYMN AND FUGUING TUNE, No.